1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a light-emitting diode comprising LED chips, that is, light-emitting diode chips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Examples of this type of light-emitting diode are disclosed in Japanese Kokai Patent No. Hei 11 (1999)-346,007 and Japanese Patent No. 2,982,553. The light-emitting diode disclosed in the former has LED chips and a pair of electrostatic protective elements in the concave part (or cup) made in one lead of a pair of leads. One electrode of a pair of electrodes of the LED chips is electrically connected to the lead holding the LED chip through the electrostatic protective elements, and the other electrode is connected to the electrostatic protective element and also electrically connected to another lead by wire bonding technique.
On the other hand, according to the latter document, a single LED chip is electrically connected such that the chip bridges a pair of leads. This type of mounting method is called flip-chip mounting. The advantage of flip-chip mounting is that it can prevent opening of wires for connection in temperature cycles, which can occur in the structure shown in the former document.
The structure of flip-chip mounting disclosed in the above documents shows resin, which can conventionally seal the diode chips from outside. In this case, because of relatively large thermal expansion coefficient of the resin, stress is generated in the LED chip when force is applied to the pair of leads from the resin due to thermal expansion and contraction, and the chip may be destroyed in the worst scenario. Consequently, the object of the present invention is to present a light-emitting diode with which the LED chip will not be destroyed.